


These Seeds We Sow

by DarklingDarling



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Age Difference, Alpha Harry, Alpha Hermione Granger, Alpha/Beta, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Beta Ron Weasley, Bottom Draco Malfoy, Crying Draco Malfoy, Dark, Dark Harry, Dark Harry Potter, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, F/M, Famous Harry, Forced Bonding, Forced Ejaculation, Forced Eye Contact, Forced Knotting, Forced Pregnancy, Fragile Draco, Harry Potter Thinks Draco Malfoy is Up to Something, Knotting, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Mates, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mpreg, Oblivious Draco Malfoy, Obsessive Behavior, Obsessive Harry, Obsessive Harry Potter, Omega Draco Malfoy, Omega Verse, Possessive Behavior, Possessive Harry, Possessive Sex, Powerful Harry, Rape, Rape/Non-con Elements, Revenge, Revenge Sex, Rutting, Sexual Violence, Sub Draco Malfoy, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Threats of Violence, Top Harry, Violence, WARNING: READ THE TAGS, toxic realtionship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-19 08:27:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29747736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarklingDarling/pseuds/DarklingDarling
Summary: Draco, a young, sheltered Omega, has been sent away from Malfoy Manor for his own protection. Set to live with a mated couple, Hermione and Ron, for the last year of his schooling, Draco finds himself thrust into an unknown world of betrayal and lust, with an age-old vendetta sealing his fate.When Draco crosses paths with the living legend, Harry Potter...Things take a vicious turn for the worst.***Set in an Alternate universe where Draco was born many years after Harry and the gang. Draco is 18, Harry is 40. Big. Age. Gap.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley
Comments: 41
Kudos: 186





	1. A Long Way From Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheKittyDeity](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheKittyDeity/gifts).



> Welcome! This is my first real crack at a HP fic, so please be gentle with me 🤧
> 
> Please heed the tags, I will keep them updated as we go-
> 
> *Non-con warning is in place for a reason*
> 
> ~*~
> 
> This story is dedicated to the brilliant TheKittyDeity, one of my absolute favourite authors on AO3, in which this work is heavily inspired by ❤️
> 
> If you haven't yet read her stuff, then do it, do it now! (If you read that last bit in an Arnold Schwarzenegger voice, let’s be best friends 😩)
> 
> Enjoy! xXx

“I won’t go.”

Draco sneered, grabbing at the suitcase that was currently being hauled away by a skittish house-elf, only to hurl the bag right into his bedroom wall. The case crashed with a deafening sound, flinging open with a crack and spilling the contents across the plush carpet.

The sound only melded with the noise of the party downstairs, the mind-numbing boom of the music vibrating the old walls, a cacophony of incessant chatter and chortles echoing under his feet.

Trust his parents to throw a party on the same day they were sending him away.

“Draco!”

His mother’s high-pitched wail penetrated the stunned silence, making his back stiffen as he threw his head to where she stood by the door. Her wide eyes regarded him in shock, frozen in her stance as she looked to the mess on the floor.

“Must you make this harder than it already is?”

She bemoaned, her voice wavering as her hands came down to smooth at the fabric of her gown, the golden silk cooperating with her movements and shining uninhibited under the dull light of the room.

Draco scowled, kicking out at the fallen case, trying to pull back the bubbling anger that was steadily rising through his chest.

“Hard on whom, mother? I’m the one being shipped off to some fucking half-bloods farm while you and father make merry with the rest of bloody London!”

He hissed, his lips pressing into a thin line when he saw the way his mother flinched back at his words. He could smell her scent, something she was usually so skilled at hiding, a swirling stench of guilt and melancholy that burned at Draco’s nostrils.

He dropped his eyes, his shoulders slumping as a sudden tiredness overtook him, his anger sizzling back down into the pit of his stomach, replaced now by an overwhelming helplessness.

“Please don’t make me go, mother.”

Draco breathed, biting his bottom lip when he felt it quiver under his words. His mother moved quickly, the golden train of her gown trailing across the floor as she pulled him into her arms. He stiffened for a moment before he let himself sag into her embrace, letting slip a muffled sniffle.

He could smell the change in her scent, the calming wave of Alpha pheromones that instantly eased his nerves and made him sigh. He hated when she did that.

_He loved when she did that._

“My darling, you know that if I had the power to, I would make this all go away… but I can’t.”

Draco shivered under the softly spoken words, his arms squeezing his mother tighter as he buried his head into her scent gland, greedily breathing in the tranquil smell. It wasn’t often that his parents released their pheromones, it was only in the quiet times like this that his mother would share it with him… when his father wasn’t around.

According to Lucius, releasing one’s pheromones was a primitive practise reserved only for mudbloods and common folk.

Narcissa continued, one hand moving up to brush through his snow-fallen hair, kissing the top of his head before she spoke.

“You went too far this time, Draco, you pushed too much. We don’t have the influence we had before the war. Do you know how many strings your father had to pull just to keep you out of Azkaban? Do you know how many favours we had to call in? You cast an unforgivable curse on your tutor, Draco, an _Alpha_ tutor-“

Draco cut her off, yanking himself out of her arms as he looked up at her wildly, his teeth clenching at the disappointment in her eyes.

“I had to, mother! He tried to-“

Draco started, only for his mother to speak over him quickly, attempting to pull him back into her arms. He didn’t let her.

“It doesn’t matter. You crossed a line, darling, and the Ministry was all too happy to have a Malfoy’s head on the chopping block.”

She finished, sighing into her hands when she saw her son blink away budding tears, ignoring her gaze as he scowled down at his feet.

“You’re young, Draco, you didn’t see the war, you didn’t see the way the wizarding world turned on us. We barely made it through. We sheltered you from it, we kept you ignorant, kept you here and away from prying eyes and I apologise for that, but it’s time to grow up.”

She reached out to her son, only to have her hand slapped away, Draco’s eyes raising, tears no longer held back as the betrayal in his icy gaze settled on her with a heavy determination.

“Draco… please don’t look at me like that. This might be good for you! It’s only for a year, my darling, you can make some friends, finish your studies… it will be alright, I promise.”

Narcissa insisted, grimacing at the stench of betrayal rolling off her son. He had such a pretty scent, it was a waste to sully it with something so trivial.

“You could look at this as a blessing…”

She started, holding up a hand when she saw him ready to snap back at her.

“Before this… your father had been meeting with a few Alpha’s, from respectable houses, of course-“

“No!”

Draco gasped, moving forward to clutch at his mother’s pretty gown, wrinkling the material in a desperate grip.

“Mother, you promised! You can’t-“

Narcissa shushed him easily, her hand once more coming up to comb through his hair. She was going to miss that.

“Quiet now, my darling, you didn’t let me finish. Your father had been planning to have you mated this summer, but because of… this incident, it’s been put on hold. You have no wish for a bond, so this gives you some time to work on your studies, and perhaps, even find a suitable career.”

She smiled when her son looked up at her abruptly, his wide eyes suddenly so young, suddenly so alike the child he was not so long ago.

“If you can work hard and prove to him that you can do more than just cause trouble, he’ll leave it for a few years. Just make him proud, darling, and everything will fall into place. I promise.”

She smiled, leaning down to kiss his forehead when he made no move to pull out of her grasp. She let her scent drift around him, the calming effect pulling a shuddering sigh from her son. He leant into her unconsciously, his head nuzzling against the hand she held against his cheek.

She was going to miss that.

  
***

Draco crawled out of the fireplace, coughing as an almost familiar rush of ash drifted through the air. He didn’t do it often, but he detested travelling by floo.

He patted down his robes, turning to grab his case so he could drag it in front of him before settling himself on the floor with a huff, his eyes scanning the empty room.

No one was there to greet him, and no house-elf had yet come to collect his things. He scowled into his hands, trying to let his anger distract him from the bone-weary sadness already eating at his soul.

He didn’t want to be here. He wanted to go home.

He was pulled from his thoughts when all of a sudden, an older witch with a frizzy shock of chestnut brown hair ducked her head through the door, a grin curving her plush lips when she spotted Draco settled on the floor, his pale hair still dusted in ash.

“You must be Draco, pleasure to meet you, I’m Hermione.”

She smiled, her sing-song voice grating his mood even more. He glared at her, gripping his robes self-consciously when the scent of Alpha drifted from the woman. Great.

“I’m guessing it’s not such a pleasure to meet me, hm?”

She mused, pursing her lips to hide another smile when Draco dropped his eyes to the floor and continued to ignore her.

She looked…. nice, if you could call an Alpha that. She had a kind smile, at least, but that didn’t really mean much. Anyone could fake a smile.

“C’mon, let me introduce you to my mate and then I’ll show you to your room.”

The Alpha didn’t give him a chance to answer, instead, she flicked him one last grin before she swished around and headed out the door. Draco waited for a few moments, closing his eyes briefly and letting out a long breath as his mother’s words drifted through his mind.

_…work hard... he’ll leave it for a few years… make him proud, darling... everything will fall into place…_

Draco sighed, pushing himself to his feet, leaving his bag behind and following the direction that the Alpha had disappeared in. The room he entered was much like the last, simple, dated… and oddly cosy. So different to the dark looming walls of Malfoy Manor.

He moved forward, past a large wooden table and to the next doorway, only to pause when he heard voices in the next room. He could hear a tinkling laugh, and a deeper, smoother voice as well… he lifted his nose a little, scenting the air. Alpha, of course… and Beta.

Draco wrinkled his nose, already hearing his father’s voice echoing in his mind, _‘Beta’s are no better than muggles, useless, the lot of them…’_

Draco steadied himself, taking a deep breath before puffing out his chest and raising his chin. He was nothing if he wasn’t a Malfoy.

“Draco! Come in, come in, this is my mate, Ron, and this is-“

Before the woman could finish, Draco was bowled over by a huge mass of teeth and fur. Before he could even scream though, the beast had been pulled off him, the creature whining sadly as Hermione held it’s collar taut, effectively keeping them both separated from the trembling Draco.

“Oh, Merlin! I’m sorry, dear, he’s usually not this friendly. Sit, Rubeus, sit! Good, boy, there we go, good boy.”

Draco was still on the floor, a horrified expression on his face as the creature’s tongue flopped from his mouth, whining again before turning to slobber all over Hermione’s face.

The witch giggled, petting him fondly before commanding him to sit over in the corner of the room. He did, his tail drooping a fraction as he followed the orders.

She moved to Draco, holding out a hand to help him up. The Omega grimaced, itching to just slap her away, but one look at the monster of a dog in the corner of the room had him on edge enough to take the offered hand.

She went to fuss over his now rumpled clothes, but Draco shrugged out of her grip quickly, her uninhibited scent already clinging to him and turning his stomach.

His parents were both Alphas, as were all of his tutors, but it was custom in Malfoy Manor, as in most esteemed families, to subdue one’s scent. Lucius never stood for anyone carelessly releasing their pheromones, it was, after all, the absolute height of incivility.

Neither the witch nor the wizard seemed to practice this custom though… their scents freely permeating the room in a sickly swirl. Draco wasn’t used to it, the reek of it overpowering his delicate senses. It made his knees weak.

He pushed himself to the back wall for balance, trying to keep the distaste from his expression, eyeing the worried look from Hermione and the mildly perturbed expression from her partner, Ron.

“He wasn’t attacking you or anything, kid, he just likes people.”

The Beta said gruffly, shifting an unimpressed gaze to Hermione. The Alpha frowned at her mate, shaking her head quickly before looking back to Draco.

“Are you alright, Draco? Rubeus didn’t scare you, did he? I promise he’s a sweet thing, he’ll be on his best behaviour from now on.”

She assured him, her mouth twisting in a gentle smile as her eyes grazed across the young Omega’s frozen body, his expression oddly pained.

“A dog? Isn’t an owl or a cat more… fitting?”

Draco asked uneasily, eyeing the creature who was still sitting in the corner of the room, his big head lolling to the side in question when Draco looked to him.

“He was a gift from a friend.”

Hermione explained with a grin, tucking a strand of wild hair behind her ears.

“Mm.”

Draco hummed in response, not hiding his derision for the beast. Ron’s face scrunched up in retort then, leaning back in his chair with a scowl.

“Trust a bloody Malfoy to tell us what’s good and proper in wizard society.”

The Beta mumbled under his breath, his scent spiking with a bristling agitation. It went straight to Draco’s head, the heavy smell wafting over to him quickly and encumbering his concentration. The Omega grit his teeth, pressing his body further into the wall to keep his stance strong.

“Ron…”

Hermione sighed, narrowing her eyes at her mate in warning before directing her gaze back to Draco. She seemed to notice Draco’s blooming unease, his distress seeping through his well-guarded scent. Before she could say anything, Draco spoke up, his tone clipped to keep his voice from wavering.

“May I go to my room, now?”

Draco asked, avoiding the incensed glare from the Beta.

Hermione sighed, chastising her mate with another look before she finally nodded to Draco and lead him away from the room, the Omega flinching when he had to pass the Beta and the wall that was his eddying storm of pheromones.

When she pulled him down a long and winding hall that lead to a small bedroom, Draco could finally breathe, the Alpha witches’ scent no longer seeming so distasteful now that it wasn’t tangled with her mate’s.

“I’m sorry about Ron, I know he seems a little prickly, but once you guys get to know each other I’m sure you will get along just fine.”

She breathed with a soft smile, her hand absently reaching out to touch his shoulder, only to hastily pull it back again, heeding Draco’s weary gaze.

“Well, it’s good to have some young blood back in the house!”

Hermione exclaimed with a sudden grin, her hands coming up to rest on her hips.

“My daughter, Rose, is around your age, she graduated Hogwarts a few years back and she’s now training to be an Alchemist. I heard that that is an interest of yours as well, Draco?”

Hermione started, smiling at Draco in encouragement when he shuffled on the spot awkwardly, not knowing whether she was actually genuinely interested or if she was just trying to make conversation.

“Yes… and I like, ah, potions.”

Draco said with a shrug, annoyed with himself for volunteering more information then she had asked for… but something about the way she was so quick to put him at ease made him lower his guard a little.

The Alpha’s face split into a wide smile at that, and Draco had a hard time trying to keep himself from getting sucked into it. Had anyone ever smiled at him like that before?

He stifled his own surprised smile, instead, pressing his lips into a thin line.

“Ah, excellent! I was a wiz at potions when I was at Hogwarts.”

She winked, her disposition changing so quickly and severely that Draco almost lost his breath. They chatted for a while after that, the Alpha lighting up at any talk of academics. He could feel her excitement through her expression, through her voice, her scent shifting into an oddly sweet and airy aroma.

It was interesting, really, to see the way her unguarded scent changed with her mood, uniquely new and strangely familiar. Another thing he would just have to get used to.

He had been sheltered all his life, even before he had presented as Omega, his parents hiding him away in the Manor in fear of retribution against their only son.

He was raised inside the dreary walls, tutors thrown at him left and right, his own parents ignoring his questions as to why they were so scared. He knew about the war, knew their position had been on the wrong side, but all the other details were… _vague_.

Like his own parents, always so… elusive.

“Anyway, I’ve talked your ear off, haven’t I? I’ll leave you now to get settled, I know this must all be so new and frightening, being away from home and all-“

Before she could finish, Draco chimed in, his eyes narrowing as her words brought forth some questions of his own.

“ _Why_ did you let me come here? Was it money? Did my parents offer you something in exchange?”

Draco asked, the curiosity suddenly burning in his mind. This Alpha… this witch, was nothing like the people who had made up his world before this. There was nothing cold, nothing distant, nothing greasy about her at all… just warmth.

Only warmth.

Hermione cocked her head to the side for a beat, her face taking on an almost sad quality.

“Your parents told us what happened, Draco. I’m so very sorry you had to go through all that. No matter what happened in the past, no child should be subjected to that kind of treatment.”

The witch sighed, moving her hands to cross them over her chest as she held his eyes. Draco tried not to let the confusion show, his teeth sinking into the side of his cheek.

“What- ah, how much did my parents tell you?”

Draco asked cautiously, tasting blood on his tongue.

“Your mother explained about the troubles you’ve had at home. People trying to break into the house, the threats on your life, how there were whispers about a kidnapping attempt-“

Draco cut her off, gritting his teeth as he avoided her eyes.

“She told you all that, did she?”

Draco huffed, his fingers clenching into a tight fist, his nails cutting into his palm to create little scarlet crescents.

He stiffened when he felt Hermione’s hands rest on his shoulders, her eyes imploring him to look at her.

“Please don’t be upset at her for telling me, even with our differences, as a mother myself, I can understand just how scary these past few months must have been for her… and you too, dear. She knows that this is the safest place for you, and my mate and I will do our absolute best to help you through your last year of schooling. Everything is going to work out just fine, ok?”

She smiled, one hand drifting up to tuck a stray strand behind his ear, smiling when he didn’t try to stop her.

“And don’t you even think for one second that you’re a burden. I’m getting paid handsomely to be your new tutor, and with my daughter gone, you’re helping a poor mother with her empty-nest-syndrome.”

She smirked, patting him on the shoulder gently when he continued to avoid her eyes.

“What do you mean, ‘even with our differences’? How do you know my mother?”

Draco asked quietly, afraid that if he spoke any louder she would hear the fear in his voice.

How could his parents do this to him? How could they have sent him off to this place… with these people… when they didn’t even know the truth? He was going to have to keep up this charade, all the while knowing that this woman’s kindness was at the result of a lie.

If she knew what he had really done… she wouldn’t have looked at him so warmly.

 _She wouldn’t have been so nice_.

“Ah, well, I think that’s a story for another day, dear. Let’s just get you settled for now. Feel free to make yourself comfortable, you can take a nap if you like and I’ll call you when dinner is ready. Ron’s cooking tonight, and he’s surprisingly brilliant at it.”

She whispered with a wink before she finally stepped back from him, smoothing down her shirt as she sighed.

“Everything is going to work out just fine, Draco. You’re safe here, I promise.”

Draco nodded slowly, trying not to show just how much this was all killing him. One whole year… one whole year to live with a lie.

“Don’t worry about Ron either, dear, ever since he turned forty he's been as moody as an old man. Pay him no mind, he’ll come around.”

With one last sweet smile, she turned on her heels and disappeared down the hall.

Draco sighed, his body finally sagging listlessly against his new bedroom wall.

It was going to be a long year.


	2. Peppermint Tea & Noisy Sheep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello!
> 
> So, this chapter gave me HELL. I kept rewriting the first half so many times before I just gave up and decided to stop touching it lmaoo ugh
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy! ❤️
> 
> See you in the end notes 👀

“Delicious, isn’t it?”

Hermione asked with a wry smile, her eyes watching Draco shove another large bite into his already stuffed mouth.

“Mmhm.”

Draco answered in reply, his head nodding readily as he spared a glance to Ron. The Beta met the boy’s eyes before drifting back to his own plate, clearing his throat before he spoke.

“Help yourself to as much as you want, there’s plenty.”

Ron grunted, spearing a piece of potato before shoving it in his mouth. Draco finished his mouthful, taking a sip of water before loading up his fork again.

“The gravy is wonderful.”

Draco said, his voice coming out weaker than he meant. He probably should have just shut his mouth, Ron clearly wasn’t a fan of either him or his family, and he wasn’t looking to make it any worse… but the food was actually pretty damn good. Hermione wasn’t lying, the guy could cook.

He watched the Beta flick a surprised glance to him, an odd twitch of his lips hinting at the start of a smile.

“The gravy’s my recipe. There’s a secret ingredient I use.”

Ron said slowly, his fingers drumming against his glass. Draco looked down at the table, biting his lip as his mind reeled on what to say.

“Oh?”

Draco finally replied, sneaking another glance to the Beta. There was a ghost of a smile tugging up his lips and he suddenly leaned closer to Draco, almost conspiratorially. Draco leaned forward a fraction too, holding his breath to escape the harsh proximity of Ron’s scent.

“Fire whiskey.”

Ron grinned, his face lighting up for the first time since Draco had met him.

“Really?”

Draco asked, the surprise genuine in his voice. Ron’s grin widened, the sight of it raising the Omega’s eyebrows. _Too weird_.

“Wouldn’t have guessed it, would you? Adds that real kick.”

Ron said proudly, waving his fork at Draco.

“Oh, yes, it’s very impressive.”

Draco murmured quickly, still not sure how he was supposed to respond. Ron didn’t seem to notice his disquiet, too wrapped up in the topic at hand. _What the fuck was happening?_

“Hermione said you have an interest in potions, Draco? Well, I’ve been experimenting with Flobberworm mucous, but instead of using it as a thickener as you would in potions, I’ve found that it adds this really great buttery flavour to my pie pastry.”

Ron said, a strange excitement ever-growing in his voice as he leaned closer to Draco, his eyes dancing under the ceiling light. Draco couldn’t help but be pulled in to the man’s enthusiasm, his own eyes widening at his words. _Way too weird_.

“Really? There’s not that bitter aftertaste?”

Draco asked, a hand coming up to rest under his chin, his attention now fully on the Beta. Ron’s smile faltered a little as he let out a small sigh.

“Mm, that’s still there… I haven’t yet figured out how to fix that but I-“

Draco cut him off hastily, a grin tugging at his lips before he could even stop himself.

“Oh, that’s easy! I just add a smidge of wander weed to my potions and it clears that right up.”

Draco insisted, beaming when Ron’s eyes widened at that, his hand slapping the table in gusto.

“Wander weed! Of course! Oh, that’s brilliant, I’ll have to test that out next Friday. Fancy lending me a hand, then?”

Ron asked suddenly, the question seeming to surprise even himself. Draco clasped his hands together, his mouth opening to answer before he had even decided what to say. He wasn’t used to people talking to him like this, like what he said was important.

“Ah… yes, t-that sounds lovely, thank you.”

A slight flush travelled up his collar as he looked between the Beta and the Alpha, Hermione innocently focussing on her own food, a hidden smile playing on her lips. Draco dropped his own eyes to his plate again, Ron clearing his throat as the three continued to eat, the scraping of knives and forks across porcelain plates.

The night continued on easily after that, a strange warmness nestling around the trio as they ate, casual conversation commencing shortly after. The uneasy tension between Ron and Draco had mostly dissipated, much to the boy’s relief, his heart now beating at a steady pace for the first time that night.

“We’re old and boring these days, Draco, so we usually spend the end of the night with a book by the fire. Feel free to have a look at the bookshelves, dear, our Rose was a big reader too so there should be a few things for younger eyes. Or… you can verse Ron at wizard’s chess, he’s surprisingly good at it. Aren’t you, darling?”

Hermione chuckled, watching Ron take a beat before he realised her meaning.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Ron asked with a scowl, earning another tinkling laugh from the witch. Draco watched the two with hidden fascination, a smile inching on his lips that he hadn’t yet realised was there.

They were so different from his own parents, the vibrant array of warmth that surrounded them almost suffocating, their combined scents swirling freely together in a heady mix that was so foreign to the Omega. _Too much_.

“Ah, thank you, but I’m just _really_ tired.”

Draco said slowly, quickly stifling a yawn.

“Of course, dear, you’ve had a big day. I’ve sent your bag to your room and there’s a towel on your bed if you need to take a shower. Let us know if you need anything at all.”

Draco nodded his head, turning on the spot quickly when he felt a blush travel up his throat.

“Thank you.”

Draco mumbled quietly before shuffling his way out of the room.

“Goodnight, Draco!”

Hermione called.

“Night, kid.”

Ron’s grunted after her. Draco did a half-wave behind him as he disappeared, shaking his head when he felt a small smile spill onto his face.

He wouldn’t lie… today had felt _nice_. He couldn’t really put his finger on what exactly about the evening had niggled something deep and warm inside of him, but it felt good.

The conversation had had a few hiccups, but all in all, it had been an interesting evening.

It was just so different from how things were at home. Usually, Draco would spend his morning exercising, then came his tutoring from 7 am to 5 pm, and after that, he would help his mother in the garden or work on his potions.

The only time he saw his father was at dinner, and that was an excruciating affair. No one ever talked, no one ever smiled, and after that, Draco would be sent to his room to do his revisions for what he had learned that day… before washing up and going to bed.

That was it, _that_ was his day.

Draco sighed when he finally made it to his room, noticing his bag set up on the dresser and a fluffy towel on the bed as promised. He opened his case, not bothering to unpack tonight, just rummaging around until he found his pyjamas.

He walked to the bed, grimacing once more at the small size of it, huffing out loud as he pulled the covers back and jumped in, the springs creaking under his weight. It smelled like them.

 _It was fine_. He just had to get used to it, he told himself.

Draco frowned, his hand reaching up slowly to touch his cheek, jolting when he felt a wetness there. He was crying. How pathetic.

He sniffled, wiping his face with the back of his arm, closing his eyes briefly as he curled up on his side, his bottom lip trembling.

_Pathetic._

He missed his mother, and, surprisingly… he missed his father too. It was nice here, he felt _warm_ here… but he missed his home. Missed his bed.

Draco sighed, scrunching up his eyes as he groaned under his breath. It was fine. Everything was going to be ok.

It didn’t end up taking him long at all to drift off to sleep, a sudden tiredness swarming over his body and propelling him into a restless slumber.

Though he hadn’t remembered it the next morning, he had dreamed, a dream that awoke him with a strange emptiness that hadn’t left him for the rest of the day.

A dream of his house, of his parents… _and of his bed_.

***

“Good morning, sleepyhead!”

Hermione sang, pulling him out a chair with a sunny smile before placing a heaped plate of bacon and eggs in front of him.

“Ron’s at work, so you have to put up with my cooking today.”

She grinned, grabbing herself a plate next before seating herself at the other side of the table. Draco nodded, clearing his throat as he smoothed down his bed-hair, grimacing when Hermione smirked at the action.

“Not much of a morning person, are you?”

She asked softly, grabbing the pepper before liberally shaking it over her eggs. Draco scrunched up his nose.

“I usually am.”

He said quietly, a shaky hand reaching out to grab the cutlery, his eyes scanning the plate of food before trying to figure out where exactly to start. The house-elves had _never_ cooked him anything like this before.

Hermione gave him a sympathetic look before she reached out, gently taking his free hand in hers.

“It must have been hard, sleeping in a different bed… in a different house. You didn’t get out much before this, did you?”

Draco opened his mouth, not sure what to say to that. Everything she said was right, but it sounded so sad when she said it out loud.

“I’ll get used to it.”

He said, trying to keep the agitation out of his tone. From Hermione’s expression, he hadn’t been so successful.

“It’s ok to feel uneasy here, Draco, it’s ok to not feel fine.”

She said carefully, her eyes crinkling in a small smile as she gave his hand one last reassuring squeeze and let go. Draco cleared his throat, blinking quickly when he felt that humiliating sting prickle at his eyes.

“Thanks.”

He murmured, gripping his knife and fork until his pale hands turned a shade whiter.

He started with the bacon first.

An explosion of flavour burst in his mouth as he chewed, assaulting his senses so wonderfully that he groaned out loud. He let slip a smile, quickly shovelling in another mouthful, groaning again at the taste.

“You’re both great cooks.”

Draco sighed, not looking up from his plate as he quickly scarfed down the rest of his meal.

When he was done, he groaned, leaning back in his chair to relieve some of the pressure in his belly. Had he ever been that full before in his life?

“I suppose I shouldn’t ask if you want another serving, then?”

Hermione smirked, standing up to grab both their plates before carrying them into the kitchen. She was gone for a few minutes but when she came back, she had two steaming mugs in her hands, a cooling scent of peppermint drifting towards him, mixing almost pleasantly with her scent.

He was getting a little more used to it, at least.

Draco sat up, cautiously sniffing the air as she sat down, the Alpha placing one of the cups in front of him before taking a small sip of her own.

“It’s peppermint tea. Very muggle, I know, but I always loved it as a young girl.”

Draco raised his eyebrows, reaching out to grasp the cup, cautiously bringing it to his lips before taking a weary sip. It was good, really good, and strangely refreshing after such a big meal.

“Yes, mother told me you were from a muggle family.”

Draco said dismissively, blinking when he caught his own tone.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t-“

Hermione stopped him with a smile, shaking her head quickly.

“Don’t apologise. I have no shame about my past. I loved my parents and they loved me. That’s all you can really hope for when you’re growing up.”

Draco nodded slowly in response, biting his lip as he looked down at the steaming mug.

“They are… no longer with us?”

Draco asked, his voice low, head bowed when he couldn’t meet her eyes.

“In some ways, no they’re not.”

She sighed, a heavy silence filling the room as her scent spiked in an uncomfortable sorrow. She spoke again, her voice once more back to her sing-song tone.

“So, I thought that we could start classes tomorrow, just so today you can get a little more comfortable, maybe explore the farm a bit? Ron will run you through what chores you’ll be doing once he’s back from work.”

Draco sat up straighter, his eyes once more finding Hermione’s again.

“Wait, what? Chores?”

Draco sputtered, placing the mug back on the table so that he didn’t spill it.

“Yes, Draco, you’re going to be living here for a year, so you will be expected to help out a little.”

“But aren’t my parents paying you?”

Draco scoffed, crossing his arms petulantly.

“To tutor you, yes, but you’re going to be a part of our family during your stay here, Draco, and everyone has to pitch in, which includes _you_ , now.”

***

“So, that’s the farm.”

Ron finished, raising his arms wide in show before he dropped them and casually shoved his hands into his pockets.

Ron had made Draco follow him around the whole damn property, showing him the wheat fields and rolling emerald hills before he toured them both around the small heard of noisy sheep and smelly goats.

_Draco had wanted to throw up._

The Beta had finished the tour by showing him the horses, letting a nervous Draco pet the beasts until he had freaked out at the animal’s braying whinny and tripped over his own feet, only to fall on his ass in front of Ron.

“We don’t expect you do a lot, really, we just want you to help out a little, do your part, you know? Our Rose is a good girl and she happily tended to the animals when she was here, never once complained. She’d spend all day with the horses if she could, she loves horses…”

Ron trailed off, scratching his head awkwardly when he realised he never finished his spiel.

“Anyway, ah, we’ll try you on a few different chores, and you can see what you like most. It doesn’t have to be something you hate, we’d prefer it if you could enjoy your time here.”

Ron finished, clearing his throat when he caught Draco’s confused expression.

“You want me to… enjoy the chores?”

Draco asked, the disbelief evident in your tone. Ron just shrugged, leaning against the barn with a yawn.

“That would be preferable, yeah. Things get done more effectively when you enjoy it, but, nothings guaranteed. If you hate everything then you’ll just have to do the thing the hate the least, or just, you know, learn to love it. I don’t know, kid, we’ll figure it out.”

Ron sighed, straightening up and stretching out his shoulders before he started walking back to the house, motioning for Draco to follow.

“Why the muggle farm?”

Draco asked suddenly, biting his lip when he saw the way Ron’s spine straightened at the question. _He shouldn’t have asked._

“It was Hermione’s parent's farm, well, her grandfather’s originally. When he passed, it was given to her father and mother, but… due to, uh, certain events, it’s in Hermione’s hands now.”

Ron sighed, his steps faltering for a moment before he cleared his throat and moved forward again.

“She… you guys couldn’t just sell it?”

Draco asked tentatively, biting his tongue when he saw Ron give him a look.

“You ask a lot of personal questions, kid.”

Ron grunted, his tone agitated, his scent spiking unpleasantly. When the Beta flicked his head to look at him, Draco flinched, his breath hitching quietly.

Ron frowned, his mouth opening to speak before he paused, as if thinking better of it. After a long moment of awkward silence, he drew in a long breath and spoke, his voice a little more gentle this time.

“She’s already lost her parents… she couldn’t lose this place too. And then, of course, when she got pregnant, we just wanted to settle down in a nice place without all the _noise_.”

Draco nodded in understanding, his shoulders relaxing a little. His eyes dropped to his feet as he thought back on what Hermione had said this morning. _She had looked so sad…_

Ron continued, his tone once more relaxed as they came closer to the house.

“Plus, you know, it’s actually been quite profitable. There’s been a recent surge of interest with muggle things in the wizarding world, so we do pretty well handmaking our own cheeses and selling the milk and wheat. It was good for Rose, too, she was able to grow up away from the city and she learned to appreciate good hard work.”

Ron mused, missing the way Draco winced at those words.

 _Yes_ , Draco knew he had been born into a family of wealth, he knew how the lower-class dregs of society looked at them, his father had said so often enough… but he wasn’t completely useless. He could work hard, he knew he could, he just needed a chance to show them that.

To show them that he wasn’t so completely… _pathetic_.

“Hey, kid, have you ever tried bug-wheat scones?”

Ron asked suddenly, shaking Draco from his darkening thoughts.

“Huh? Oh, ah, no, I don’t think so.”

Draco said, thinking on it a moment before he looked up to the older Beta.

“You use bug-wheat? Have you tried adding dandelion root with it? It goes really well with bug-wheat.”

Draco said absently, jolting when he felt Ron slap him on the back affectionately.

“You know, Draco, I think we’re going to get along just fine.”

Ron grinned, slinging his arm around the younger Omega’s shoulders as he responded with an embarrassed smile.

“C’mon, I’m hungry. How do you have your scones? We’ve got jam, marmalade, honey, cream…”

Draco’s smile grew when Ron continued to list off ingredients, a strange flush travelling up his collar as he followed the older man into the house, with the weight of an arm resting comfortably across his shoulders...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well... what did ya think? 👀 I know, no Harry yet, but I had to flesh out the story a little before his entrance. Tout vient à point à qui sait attendre 😘
> 
> Also, I know that Hermione got her parents back in canon but I had to fudge the details a little for plot. Forgive me xx
> 
> Thanks a much for reading! Harry coming soon, to a chapter near you 😏

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Please feel free to leave any comments, I reply to them all. If you want to keep up with the story when it updates, you can subscribe up above if you like (I just found out how to do this! 😭 I literally just used to bookmark everything lmaoo)
> 
> Have a beautiful day! x


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